Sky And Star (p chekov)
by color me free
Summary: With only a few months until graduation from the Starfleet Academy and the summer to herself, Skylar Pike tries to make every moment count, all while keeping an eye on the new cadets who move in next door, including the Russian boy who unknowingly makes it all worthwhile.
1. One

**A/N: Hello! Thanks for clicking on this little story of sorts. When I had first written this fic back in 2014, I honestly had no intention of posting it until I was finished with the bulk of other stories that I had in a pile on my desk. But then, on June 19 after I found out about the tragic death of Anton Yelchin, I finally decided to return to this story. I'm still in the process of revising it, and I'm still working on adding the events of _Beyond_. I hope you enjoy!**

 **1.**

Spring rolled around like any other season, and died off faster than a blink of an eye. The subtle rays of the summer sun began to bear down wherever it could- from the distant horizon to the Starfleet Academy campus.

As the last days of May rolled around, seventeen year old Skylar Pike had started to become used to the feel of sweat dripping down the back of her neck and plastering her bangs to her forehead, along with the bitter sensation of a parched throat. Everyday, nothing seemed to change- waking up, dragging on her cadet uniform, rushing in a half conscious daze to her classes, leaving, starting her shift at the campus café (Starway Café, best coffee and pastries in San Francisco!) and collapsing in her bed at the end of the day.

Leaning against the counter, Sky drummed a thick black marker on the silvery surface. Starway was normally crowded with cadets and professors alike, but with it being the end of May, most cadets were packing to return home for the summer. But not Sky. If she wanted to graduate by the end of the summer semester, she'd have to stay.

The bell on the door rung as it swung open, and Callima Eve walked in. A full foot taller than her, the Acamarian girl was nicer than most. She still wore her cap and gown from the graduation ceremony earlier, and a bright smile.

"You're looking at the new senior medical officer of the _USS Archangel_!" Callima announced as soon as she reached the register. Sky grinned at her friend, reaching over to give her a high five.

"That's great, Call!" She said. The Acamarian girl looked around. "I have never seen this place more empty."

"Yeah, don't remind me. Malia is going to kill me when she finds out we didn't sell any Anna's lemon and raspberry tarts today."

"I always wondered what was in them." Callima shook her head. "Anyway, I just dropped in to say hello, and that I saw a cute boy at the ceremony. He looked your age."

Sky's face turned red. "Was my dad there?" She asked in a slow tone.

"Yeah, he gave a speech ya know. A pretty good one too." Callima said, reaching over to take a sip of Sky's coffee.

"Course he did." Sky scoffed. It had been three years since her sister Rosalyn died on a mission scouting out a planet that seemed habitable. Three years since her parents just didn't know how to deal with having only one daughter instead of two. Three years since the greatest dad in the world, Christopher Pike, decided that he wasn't worthy of the blue mug Rose and Sky gave him for his 40th birthday. Three years since Sky had to put her life on hold to keep an eye on her mother. But since then, Sky and Christopher barely spoke. He tried, really, really hard. Just not hard enough for her.

"When are you and Cher moving out?"

"Two days." Callima smiled. "Any idea who the vermin that will invade our room are?"

"I don't know, but they're supposed to move in on Tuesday." Sky said, snatching her coffee back. "Hopefully they won't mind Olive. I mean, in case she gets sick and starts barking."

"Please, nobody can look at that dog and not love her." Callima said. "Well, I gotta go. Cher wants to get a head start on packing."

She gave a small wave as the Acamarian girl walked towards the door. "Bye."

"Oh, and you know that boy downstairs Eric? He's throwing a party, like a little graduation party. You wanna come?" Callima asked as she reached the door.

"Nah, I have a lot of work to do. Thanks though." Sky responded, starting to tap the marker again. As soon as her friend was gone, she glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. Another hour here, just another hour of any other day.

 **.::.**

By the time Skylar's shift was over, the sun had begun to set. Grabbing her backpack from the back room, she said goodbye to the manager Ella before starting to walk towards the other side of the campus to the dorm building that looked like all the others.

As soon as she opened the door to her dorm, she was greeted by a yip of excitement from the large German Shepard that was barreling towards her.

"Hello, Olive." She said, bending down to allow her to cover her face in affectionate licks. "Did you hold down the fort today like I told you to?"

Olive had been hers since Rosalyn died. Her mother and father had taken her to the animal shelter to pick out a dog to keep her company. Olive had been a puppy then, and Sky had fallen in love with the amber eyed dog as soon as she saw her. It has taken a lot of persuasion for the Academy board to allow her to keep her in the dorm. But in the last minute, her father managed to convince them.

"And then some." The tired voice of her roommate, Elodie, said. The older girl sat on her bed with papers spread out across the mattress.

"Thanks for watching her, Elodie." Sky said, moving towards the table placed in the center of the room. Olive padded after her, her bushy tail wagging.

"Callima and Cher move out soon." Elodie said. "Yeah, I heard." Sky responded, opening the bag of dog treats. Once Olive was fed and settled down on Skylar's bed, she began to tackle the work that had appeared on her assignment pad.

She'd spend a few hours working and occasionally talking with Elodie until it was done and then take Olive for a walk.

And every day, it stayed exactly the same. Not changing. Ever...

... until one day, a stack of boxes sat outside of Callima and Cher's old dorm. And two boys were wrestling with a blue colored couch when Skylar stepped out of the elevator.

"It's not going to vork, Luke." The boy with pale curly hair said in a thick Russian accent. The other boy, Luke, grunted. "With all running you do, I'd think you could haul a couch up a few steps."

She raised an eyebrow. _These are the people who are moving in?_ She thought. "Hello." She said.

The Russian boy jumped nearly a foot in the air, letting out a squeak of surprise. " _O moy bog!_ " He exclaimed in Russian. The couch dropped on his side and Luke swore under his breath.

Sky raised her eyebrows as the Russian boy turned around to face her. She waved slightly. "I'm your neighbor." She nodded at the couch. "Nice couch."

"Thanks." He said. Luke cleared his throat. "Are we getting the couch into our room, or are we having a block party right now?"

Sky rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you too. I'm Skylar."

"Chekov, miss, Pavel Andreievich." The Russian boy said.

"I'm Luke, in case you care." Luke said, giving a sarcastic wave.

"Ignore zis one." Pavel Chekov remarked, sitting on the arm of the couch. "He's mad at ze Academy Board, although it is his fault."

"One teensy party in our apartment while Russian wiz kid over here was visiting his parents and we get booted to the Academy dorms ." Luke shook his head.

" _Three_ teensy parties vhile I vas at home." Pavel Chekov responded. The other boy shrugged. "Whatever, it's only for the summer."

"So you guys live off campus?" Sky asked.

"Until last veek." Pavel Chekov answered. Skylar nodded slowly, looking at the door. "You guys aren't going to get that in there if you don't take the cushions off." She said. "And I'd advise not throwing anymore parties. The girl at the end of the hall Georgia is the biggest suck up teachers' pet I've ever met."

"Thanks for that bit." Luke rolled his eyes. "I think I know what I'm doing."

Sky shrugged. "Whatever. See you around." She said before opening the door to her dorm.

"Sky! Did you meet the new neighbors?" Elodie's voice from the bathroom called as the door closed and Olive came barreling towards Sky.

"Yeah!" She called back, scratching Olive's ears. "They seem nice."

Elodie opened the bathroom door, dressed in a short black dress and her hair in a messy bun. "The black haired one is a bastard." She informed her.

"The other one seemed nice enough." Sky said.

"What was his name? Payton? Patrick?" The older girl sat on her bed, strapping on high heels.

"I think it was Pavel." She said, setting her bag down and plopping down at her desk. Elodie wrinkled her face. "That's weird."

"It's Russian, I think." She said, opening her Advanced Theory of Astrophysics textbook and shrugged. "You're all dolled up."

Elodie smiled. "Party at the Skywalk, wanna come?" Sky gagged. "Like I want to go back there."

"That guy was totally into you!" Her roommate protested. Elodie picked up a pillow and tossed it at her. "You're never gonna get a guy if you smack everyone that is into you in their face."

"I don't need a guy! I'm going to be single forever." Sky said, leaning back, scratching Olive's ears who was lying next to her.

Elodie sighed over-dramatically, picking up her communicator, and walking towards the door. "Well, if ya change your mind, it's at Skywalk, you remember where that is?"

"Yeah." Sky said. "Don't get too drunk."

"I make no promises." Elodie joked as she walked out the door.

Olive whimpered as the door closed, resting her head between her paws. Skylar looked back down at her book. _Come one, Sky, focus._ She told herself, but no matter how hard she tried, her mind was glued to the image of the officer's face that day. The day Rosalyn died.


	2. Two

Waves of the summer's first night hit the pale outbreak of light diminishing from the horizon, burning an image in Pavel Chekov's mind that he'd never forget.

Though he was already as uncomfortable as he could possibly be- covered in sweat, and balancing three heavy boxes in his already exhausted arms- seeing the night sky once more put Pavel's mind at ease. He had lost track of time since he and Luke got to Armstrong Hall in the first place, feeling an overwhelming rush of memories as soon as he stepped up the short flight of stairs to enter the building.

As far as Pavel knew, he was the only person awake on his floor. Luke had collapsed on the couch after they got it inside to take what he called "a quick nap". A few hours later, the brown haired boy had still not woken up yet, snoring on the couch, missing the sunset for the second day in a row.

In fact, Luke's snoring was the only thing preventing Pavel from collapsing on his bed and falling asleep. However, he had been staying up to ungodly hours ever since he had first found out that they would be returning to Armstrong Hall. Part of it was stress of how his family would be able to pay for on campus housing alongside his father's medical bills and the already high Starfleet Academy tuition, part of it was unease of being back at Armstrong Hall. Campus security had increased since it happened, and the chances of something like that happening again were slim. But every time Pavel closed his eyes, he was greeted by the eerie voice and the frigid water rising higher and higher…

The ding of his communicator brought the seventeen year old back to reality. It was his father. Pavel frowned. This late?

"Hi папа." Pavel answered. "Did you remember your medicine?"

"They never give me anything in this Бог забыл место." His father grumbled. "Are you getting settled back in well?"

"Yeah. Luke has been no help, but they've fixed the place up since last time."

The other end was silent.

"Папа?"

"Oh yeah, I'm awake." His father responded.

He talked to him for a little longer, his father repeating everything over again, Pavel responding the same way.

"You know," Andrei said, "if you decide all this isn't for you, you don't have to keep doing it."

He frowned. "What do you mean."

"I mean Starfleet. If you go through the rest of your coursework, or even after graduation you decide this isn't what you want, I'd rather you do something that you're passionate about." Andrei's voice sounded clearer than it had in months.

"Я уже знаю, что я увлечен." Pavel mumbled under his breath.

"The forest isn't the place for someone who will have a family to support one day." His father said. "Running can't be the only thing you have going for you."

It was quiet for a little longer.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" Andrei asked quietly, changing the subject.

"No, just some work I still have to catch up on." Pavel sighed, feeling heavier than before. The rest of his conversation with his father was quiet, and Pavel was grateful for that.

* * *

Only Pavel doesn't end up doing the work.

He's halfway through the third assignment to show up on his pad when it hits him; he realizes what it is he really wants to do at the moment, more than anything.

One messy call to his professor, with some half-real excuse of family obligations, and he was free for the evening, his assignment due dates being moved a day. He left a note in case Luke woke up before he got back, and he tore down the sidewalk, running.

The park was five blocks away from Armstrong Hall, just on the campus outskirts. Pavel felt like he was flying, his feet barely touching the pavement as he ran. It had been at least a month since he had been able to run, at least like this, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Everything felt worlds away as he ran.

He past through the gates, spun through falling leaves, sprinted up over bridges and winding trails. It occurred to Pavel in the back of his mind that he would have to run all the way back, that he would have to actually stretch that night if he wanted to avoid muscle tightness the next day, but he let it all go. He was just Pavel, and he was running.

He kept running, even as his lungs began to burn. FInally, he came to a wide, open pathway entirely housed under at least half a mile of green leaves. Pavel slowed his pace and took a few deep breaths to steady his breathing.

Still, there was something there.

Pavel snapped his head to his left when he heard the leaves rustling. His muscles relaxed when he saw the figure step out. It was just the girl who lived next door.

"Oh, hello." Skylar said, brushing off a few leaves that had fallen onto her.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked. She shrugged. "Same as you it looks like." She was right, holding the same out-of-breath posture as he was. She had a faded Starfleet Academy hoodie on and gray running shorts on, her shoes were also coated in mud.

"You run?" He asked. Skylar shook her head. "Used to. Now it's just an urge-you-can't-ignore type of thing."

He knew what she was talking about.

Skylar noticed he was still panting and awkwardly offered him her water. He took it, letting out a quiet thanks. She nodded, taking it back when he was finished and hooking it back on her belt. "Well, the night is still young. You need a running partner?" She asked.

"Sure." Pavel said, offering a small smile. They tore down the path, neck to neck, running. The forest became denser and darker, and Pavel kept glancing down to make sure he didn't trip on anything. For someone who didn't run, Sky was able to keep up with him pretty well. It had been a while since he ran with someone, and he almost enjoyed having the company.

Soon, Sky turned her head looking at him, smiling wide before she made a beeline towards a bush. With a jolt, Pavel jerked up and followed her. They zig-zagged through the trees, ducking under branches and jumping over roots. They jumped over streams, balanced on mossy logs, and scrambling up shallow banks and before Pavel knew it, the both of them were laughing.

He was definitely winning.

Pavel was at a full-out-run: lungs heaving, legs burning by the time he made it out into the open clearing, the gate just a little bit farther. He kept going, right up until he nearly hurled over the bench next to the gate, grasping the metal grating, gasping for breath.

Sky was a few steps behind him, crashing into the gate. He tried to ignore the metallic taste in his mouth, he remained absolutely still for a few minutes, catching his breath and calming his head.

"Good job, kid." Skylar said, her voice wobbly. "You won."

"Yeah." He responded. He gave her a halfhearted high five before plopping down on the bench.

"Well, I'd be up for another round." She said. "You in?"

"сейчас на." He sighed. It took a moment for her to understand before nodding.

"Suit yourself. Well, we've got all summer to make that up." Skylar said before tearing back down into the park. It wasn't until a moment after she was gone for Pavel to realize:

 _Yeah, we do._

 **a/n: omg it's literally been almost a year since I've updated. but I read through everything I originally had for this fic and decided that 1) the story was WAY too long 2) that I really didn't like what I had written and 3) I've been procrastinating a LOT. So I've been rewriting and restructuring the story so that it was a reasonable length and better than what my thirteen year old self had written. Thank you for all the positive feedback this fic has gotten, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I promise it won't take a year for me to update again.**

 **TRANSLATIONS:**

 **Папа:** father/dad  
 **Бог забыл место:** god forsaken place  
 **Я уже знаю, что я увлечен:** I already know what I'm passionate about  
 **сейчас на:** no way


End file.
